


The Cottage Down the Lane

by badskippy



Category: The Hobbit (Jackson Movies), The Hobbit - All Media Types, The Hobbit - J. R. R. Tolkien
Genre: Dorks in Love, Falling In Love, Ghosts, Halloween, Happy Ending, Happy halloween, M/M, One Big Happy Family, more to come - Freeform, nice ghosts, sweet scary
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-10-10
Updated: 2018-10-28
Packaged: 2019-07-28 22:55:36
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 4,922
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16251476
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/badskippy/pseuds/badskippy
Summary: Thorin only wanted to get away for a bit.  You know, relax and spend quality time with his boys.  And a holiday getaway at a quiet, country cottage seemed perfect!   But you know what they say about the best made plans of mice and men.  The trip didn't turn out quite the way Thorin hoped.Especially when there are other-worldly meddlers to deal with!





	1. Chapter 1

* * *

 

The place looked so nice online.  Lots of room, secluded and situated down a winding country lane.  Little village nearby.  Forests and lakes and rollings hills; it was perfect for a holiday getaway.  And in person it wasn't a ... _bad_ place.  And It wasn’t that it was an ugly house ... well, cottage really ... nor was it overly twee and ‘charming.’  It was more that there was something ...  _off_ about it.  Of course, the overcast night sky didn't help.  If Thorin had to put a single word to describe the place, it would be that it was ...

“It looks unhappy,” Kili said, the ten-year-old tilting his head to one side.

“It looks creepy,” Fili added, the twelve-year-old scrunching up his nose.

“It’s just ...” Thorin cleared his throat.  “It’s dark.  That’s all.”  Not a single light was on; not even the porch light.

“Yeah,” Kili agreed, taking Thorin’s hand.  “It just needs ... light.”

“Sure,” Fili stated, dryly.  “Like the light of a huge fire to burn it down.”

“Okay,” Thorin said.  “Let’s just get inside and ... we’ll see.”

He nodded to their suitcases and the boys each took their rucksacks, while Thorin grabbed all the wheeled luggage.

“Did you get a key?” Fili asked his uncle.

“No, but ...” Thorin juggled the luggage a bit as he stepped upon the dappled, moon-lit, cobble-stone walk.  “The confirmation email said that keys would be under a small planter next to the door.”

“I got them!” Kili called. 

Thorin had wanted to get away for a week or two.  Somewhere quiet and peaceful, just the boys and him.  No mobiles, no computers, no video games (that was horrifying to the boys), and absolutely no work what-so-ever.  Just relaxing, reading, walking, maybe some fishing, spending time together as a family.  

But where?

It was on Airbnb, late one night, that he came across this place.  ‘Charming.’ ‘Rustic.’ ‘Quiet.’ ‘Simple.’ ‘Another world.’ Those were only a few of the words used to describe the place.  It had 'tons' of bedrooms it said in the ad, six in total actually, and nearly an equal amount of bathrooms (much to the boys’ delight).  There were only a few pics, all black and white and clearly taken in the day, and almost no reviews (the ones there were all very neutral).  

But the price was too good to pass up.

Now he kind of knew why.  In the dark, without a single light on, and the sky pockmarked with heavy clouds, it was a tad ... unsettling.   _All it needs is a hooting owl_ , Thorin thought.   _Or some rolling thunder._  He mentally kicked himself; he was starting to sound like the boys!  

That’s when an owl called from one of the huge oak trees surrounding the place, which was answered by another from somewhere in the distance, and both followed by the low rumble of thunder.

“Open the door, please,” Thorin said, trying not to sound urgent.

“I’m trying!” Kili struggled with the key.

When the owl hooted again, Thorin almost threw the bags down and grabbed the keys himself.  But in the next moment, the key clicked and the door swung open on creaking hinges.

There was a worn smell to the place.  Not moldy or dank, but stale; the place had been closed up for a long period of time.  Nothing could be seen but silhouettes of furniture; a monochromic world of greys and black.

Thorin put the luggage down and the boys dropped their bags.  Fili reached for a light switch, and while Thorin heard the click, nothing came on.

“Great,” Fili said testily.  “Lights are out.”

“Probably the main shut off,” Thorin said.  Made sense if a place was going to be shut up for an extended period.

“Yeah, but ... how will you find the fuse box ... _in the dark_?!”

Thorin could almost hear Fili’s eye-roll.  “I’m sure there is a candle or ... torch somewhere.”

“I have one!” Kili said.  The sound of a zipper and then Thorin heard Kili going through his sack.  A few seconds later, “A-HA!  I knew it!”  There was a snap and Kili’s mini-torch lit up the foyer; Thorin had given Kili that light as a stocking-stuffer just that past Christmas.

“May I see that, please?” Thorin asked and Kili quickly handed it over.  “Thank you.”

Sure enough, a quick walk to the back of the cottage, the boys hot on his trail, revealed a small utility room and the much-desired fuse box.  And just as Thorin expected ...

“The main is off,” Thorin said.  With a little effort (it was stiff), Thorin pushed the large switch up and the house came alive with light.  “See!  Easy-peezy!”

They enjoyed the illumination ... for all of three seconds ... before a loud, booming thunderclap sounded right over the house and the lights went out completely.

“So much for easy,” Fili flatly.

Thorin sighed.  “Well, why don’t we just ... check the kitchen and see if there are any emergency candles or something.”

There were.

They each lit a candle and set them in the kitchen, before running out to the car and getting the few groceries they brought.  They naturally couldn’t cook, although Kili had suggested they start a fire in the hearth and cook on that.  But it was late and Thorin suggested they have PBJ’s and go to bed.  They’d sort it all out in the morning.  They ate by candlelight and then they picked rooms; all close by each other.  Thorin was in one room and the boys in a shared room across the hall.  

As Thorin got into bed, the storm broke, rain lashed at the windows, lightning lit up the room and thunder cracked.  He’d just pulled up the covers when a particularly loud clap of thunder boomed overhead and the boys ran into his room.

“Can we sleep with you?!”  Kili begged.

“I thought you would be too old to sleep with me?” Thorin asked, even as he moved to the center of the bed and each boy climbed under the sheets to each side of him.

“I’m just here for Kili,” Fili said.

“Sure, you are.”  Thorin did his best to keep his amusement from his voice.

“I don’t care,” Kili stated honestly.  “I’m scared and I’m sleeping with Uncle Thorin!”

“There is no reason to be scared,” Thorin said, even as the thunder rolled over the cottage once more.  But he didn’t mind.  He actually missed the nights when the boys were very young and newly his and they would come asking to sleep with him.   

Soon the boys were asleep and Thorin was gone as well.  The storm continued and none of them were awake to see the shifting shadows on the wall.

Or the presence lurking in the corner.

 

 

 


	2. Chapter 2

* * *

 

“Not to mention that it’s still raining.”

“I’m sorry, Mister Durin, but there is little I can do about the weather.”

Thorin sighed.  “I know that. I do.  It’s just … added to the loss of power and the condition of the place … the boys being trapped indoors hasn’t helped.”   No, actually, it hasn’t helped _his plans_.  He wanted to hike and fish, canoe and swim, he wanted them all to be outdoors and enjoying themselves.  Instead, they have been trapped inside, the boys reading or playing board games and Thorin doing chores; minor chores, dusting and so forth, but still chores. “Do you not have any other cottages to rent, Mister Grey?”

“The season’s really over around here,” Mister Grey said.  “So, while there are many vacant rentals, the owners usually keep them for themselves or relatives during this time.”

“I see.”

“And you’d still have to contend with the rain.”

“True.”

“I am more than happy to refund some of your payment, given that you’ve had to clean.”

“No, no,” Thorin said empathically.  “That’s … it’s not really an issue.”  It wasn’t.  Thorin actually didn’t mind since it kept him busy.  The power-outage was really the problem.

“I insist.  And I will ask around if someone else has a cabin with power running.  Of course, I’ll have an electrician come over regardless.”

“Thank you.”

They mutually ended the call.  Thorin huffed out another sigh; it really wasn’t that bad.  After the first night, the rain had settled into a gentle, but continuous, shower.   They were able to crack the windows, so it wasn’t stuffy and, in fact, it was cool enough that they had a small fire in the hearth so it wasn’t damp either.  It was rather cozy.

In a grey, dreary sort of way.

“So … who’s ready for dinner?” Thorin asked, coming back into the front parlour.  Kili was sprawled on the floor and Fili was lounging sideways in one of the overstuffed chairs by the fireplace; both reading a book from the huge assortment of books found in the house.

“I AM!”  Kili shouted. When wasn’t he?

“I wouldn’t mind something,” Fili said, not even looking up.

“Are they fixing the electric?!”  Kili asked, excited.  “Can we have pizza?!”

“Well …” Thorin hated being the bearer of bad news.  “Mister Grey is sending out an electrician—”

“YAY!”

“However, I seriously doubt he will be out tonight.”

“Oh, man!”  Kili pouted.

“Suck it up, buttercup,” Fili said.

Kili sighed.  “Fine.”

Thorin smiled; he’d make it up to them.  He went to walk into the kitchen when something caught his eye.  He looked back and saw that Fili was reading a thick book on ancient armor and weapons (the house was filled with books on all sorts of history subjects).  However, Thorin quickly realized it was the book in Kili’s hands that caught his attention.

“What are you reading?” Thorin asked.

“I found it,” Kili said, holding up the small book before him.  “In back room.  There was a whole box full of them.”

Thorin took it and opened it to a page.

_What was I thinking?   He said he wasn’t upset, but he looked at me like I was to be pitied or something.  I felt sick. I’m so stupid.  No guy wants to hear that his best friend fancies him.  Now Ham will hate me forever!_

Thorin was horrified.  “Kili!  This isn’t a book!”

“Isn’t it?”  Kili said.

“It’s a diary!  You should never read someone’s personal diary!”

“I didn’t know!  Honest, Uncle Thorin!”

Thorin knew that Kili hadn’t meant any harm.  But still.  “Where are the rest?”

Kili blushed and looked away.  “In my room.”

Thorin took the diary and walked to the room the boys shared.  Sure enough, there was a box filled with different sized and colored diaries.  From the number, he figured whoever it was – _Ham’s best friend, apparently_ – had kept a diary for a long time.  Maybe all his life.   Thorin placed the diary in his hand back with its mates and closed the box. He didn’t want Kili to be tempted so he picked up the box and placed it in his room, under the four-legged nightstand.  

“Alrighty,” Thorin said, coming back to the parlour.  “I’ll start dinner, you boys go clean up.”

Thorin had made a quick run to the store that morning and picked up some cold cuts and cheese, along with a small cooler and ice and pop.  Sandwiches would do for now until the power was back on. As if reading his mind, the phone rang.

“Hello?”

“Mister Durin?”

“Yes.”

“This is Eddie Burrows.  I’m the local electrician.  Mister Grey asked me to call you.”

“Oh, yes!  We out over here and—”

“That half of the village is out.”

“Half the village?”

“When the storm started last night, lightning hit a large tree and it fell onto the sub-station.  The whole eastern part of the village is out of power.”

“Great.”  _Just my luck_ , Thorin thought.  “Do you know—”

“Company says it’ll be either late tonight or tomorrow before they can repair the damage.   I’m sorry.”

Thorin huffed.  “Not your fault.”

“They’re working as fast as they can.”

“I’m sure.”

Thorin hung up.  What was to be done?  Nothing. It was an ‘act of God’ and they’d have to put up with it.  Thorin explained to the boys and, while they were disappointed, they took the news better than Thorin had.  They ate and then played Monopoly until it was dark.  They lit candles and sat in front of the fire but soon decided that it was better to go to bed early and pray that the power was one when they woke.

“You boys go get ready for bed.”

They took off, each choosing a different bathroom as their own, a candle in their hands.  Thorin used the en-suite bathroom attached to his room and was just coming out to change when a blood-curdling scream pierced the quiet of the cottage.

And Thorin knew who had screamed.

“KILI!” Thorin raced out of his room.

“UNCLE THORIN!”  Kili came flying down the hall and ran right into Thorin’s arms.  The boy was beside himself, hysterical.

“You’re all right ... you’re safe,” Thorin said, trying to calm the youngster. “What happened?!”

Kili shook his head, violently.  “There was a man in the bathroom!”

_“What?!”_

“I didn’t see anyone, Uncle,” Fili said, coming up to them.

“Stay here,” Thorin said, prying Kili out of his arms and thrust him into his brothers.  He started towards the other side of the house where Kili had gone, grabbing a thick, knobby cane from the small collection of them in an umbrella stand at the end of the hall.   He reached into his pocket for Kili’s mini-torch, switching it on.   When he got to the bathroom, the door was closed and, taking a deep breath, raised the cane up and pushed the door open with his foot.

Nothing.

There was no one there.  Kili’s candle still flickered on the counter but, other than that, there was no one and nothing there.  The shower curtain was pulled back and he could see no one lurking in the tub.  He checked the other nearby rooms and the back door.  Nothing.

“There is no one there, Kili,” Thorin said, coming back to the boys.

“But I saw him!”  Kili said, his face tear stained.  “He was standing right in back of me!”

“In back of you?”

Kili nodded.  “I looked away to brush my teeth and when I looked back ... there was a man standing right behind me!”

Thorin nodded.  “I have a feeling you only saw shadows.”

“It wasn’t, I swear!”

“Kili, the doors and windows are locked and the rooms are clear,” Thorin wasn’t upset.  “It was probably just the candlelight making shadows on the wall behind you and—”

“It _wasn’t_ shadows!”  Kili insisted.  “He had curly hair and ... and looked like he was angry!  Like he was mad and I ... I ... I just ran!”

Thorin could see that whatever happened, Kili believed it.  “Well, it’s all over now and there is no one in this cottage but us.”  Kili looked he was going to protested.  “You can sleep with me again if you’d like.”

Kili nodded empathically; there was no other option but sleeping with his uncle as far as he was concerned.

“I will too, mate,” Fili said.

Within a short time, Thorin and Fili had Kili between them, protected on all sides from his fear.   Thorin stayed awake until the boys were both asleep and then he was off soon after.  Which meant that none of them heard the groan of the floorboards.

As someone slowly trod up and down the hallway.

 

 

 

 

 


	3. Chapter 3

* * *

 

 

“Have either of you seen my keys?”  Thorin asked.  He was so confused; he could swear he put them with his wallet.  However, he found his wallet – across the room from he was _sure_ he put it – but no keys.  And no money clip, now that he thought about it.  “Did you run out to the car for something?”

Fili cocked an eyebrow, not even bothering to look up from his book.  “If I had the keys, I’d drive home.”

“Ha, ha,” Thorin said dryly.  “Kili?”

“No, Uncle Thorin,” Kili said with wide eyes.  “I’d never take your keys without asking!”

Actually, neither boy would do that.  _So weird_.  “Well, I’m looking for them so keep your eyes open.”

Thorin went back to his room and checked for like the _umpteenth_ time; nothing.  He checked the pockets of all his pants.  No luck.  He checked under the cushions of the sofa, the chairs, in the kitchen, the pantry, the bathroom, _all the bathrooms_ , outside along with walk, and yet still nothing.

It was later that Kili had an issue.

“Uncle Thorin,” Kili asked.  “Do you still have my torch?”

Thorin shook his head.  “You borrowed that this morning.”

“I know, but …”

“But what?”

“It’s not in my room.”

“When did you last see it?”

“When I put it on the nightstand in my room!”

“You better find it,” Thorin said pointedly.  “We may need it if the power isn’t fixed by tonight.”

“I know, but … I swear I put it on the nightstand before I took my shower!”

“Hmmm …” Thorin took a breath and called, “FILI!”

But Fili was already ahead of Thorin.  “HE ALREADY ASKED ME AND I DIDN’T TAKE IT!”  Fili shouted back.

“That answers that question,” Thorin said under this breath, with a shrug. 

For the rest of the day, Thorin sore he was going insane.  He was getting forgetful and scatterbrained; nothing was where he ‘remembered’ putting it!   He eventually found his money clip; in the pantry of all places!  And his keys?  They were in an upper kitchen cupboard.  So strange.

Maybe it was the no-power thing or something.  Or the endless drizzly rain.  Perhaps the slight oppressive greyness of it all was getting to him.

The boys too when it came to it.  Well, Kili at any rate.  Like Thorin, Kili kept ‘losing’ things and having them turn up in odd places.  Places he swore he either wasn’t or hadn’t been that day.  His mini torch?  It was sitting on the mantlepiece behind a picture!   Only Thorin could have put it there.

But he didn’t put it there!

“Maybe it was the ghost!”  Fili said teasingly that evening.

“Do you … you think so?!”  Kili asked, turning a pale face to his uncle.

“No,” Thorin said emphatically.  “Not only do I not believe ghosts exist …” Thorin gave Fili a pointed glare.  “Even if they did exist, I doubt they would need my money clip.  Or my keys.”

“But …” Fili said, lowering his voice to a melodramatic, stage whisper.  “They would want your … soul.”

“My soul?!”  Kili’s panic was raising quickly.

“Enough,” Thorin said firmly giving Fili another glare that was as equally ignored as the his first one.

Fili shrugged.  “Don’t worry.  You’re totally safe, Kee.”

“I … I am?” Kili almost begged for an affirmative answer.

“Sure,” Fili said, smirking.  “Ghosts only want intelligent people to spend eternity with, so that leaves you out.”

“Piss off!”  Kili said, sulking.

“Okay … all right,” Thorin said sighing.  “No more talk of … snobbish spirits.”

But Fili wasn’t totally left out of the odd happenings.

As the night deepened and another thunder storm started in, Thorin was in the kitchen when there was a shout and a loud thud from the front parlour.  Thorin was up immediately and found Fili laying on the floor and the chair on its side.

“What were you trying to do?!”  Thorin demanded as he righted the chair.

“I wasn’t _trying_ to doing anything!” Fili said.  “It just … turned over!”

“Turned over?!”

“Yeah!  Honest!”

“Chairs don’t just turn over,” Thorin said.  He could see the legs were intact and there was nothing broken or wrong with the chair other than being upturned.

“I’m telling you, Uncle Thorin,” Fili insisted.  “I was sitting in the chair—”

“Sideways, you mean,” Thorin commented.

“Like I was all day long!  And then it … dumped me out on my face!”

What the hell was going on?  Thorin was seriously starting to think the world has gone crazy.

“Did something fall over?!”  Kili said, coming into the room.  He was wet from a shower he took in Thorin’s en-suite; since the night before, Kili had refused to use any bathroom on the far side of the house and he left every door open and had every available candle with him and lit!

“Your brother fell out of the chair,” Thorin said.

“I’m telling you,” Fili said tersely, “the chair turned over and dumped me out!”

“On its own?!”  Kili asked.

Fili nodded.  “Right on my face!”

Kili gave him an amused look.  “Too bad it didn’t improve it!”

Fili snarled.  “I’ll improve yours with my fist!”

“Okay, relax,” Thorin said.  “Let’s all just remain calm.”

“This house is haunted!”  Kili stated.

“I’m beginning to agree,” Fili said, still disgruntled.

Thorin sighed.  “There is no such thing as ghosts!”

A loud, thunderous boom shook the cottage and windows rattled.  But it was the sound of the something banging on the front door that truly startled them all. 

“It’s the ghost!”  Kili whispered hoarsely.

Thorin did not answer but slowly made his way to the door.  The banging grew louder and more insistent and with the boys right at his back, Thorin could feel the hairs on his neck stand up.  With a deep breath in, he reached for the door and yanked it open just as another bolt of lightning and clap of thunder sounded.

Kili screamed, “IT’S HIM!  THE MAN I SAW!”

But Thorin had a different response.  “Who the hell are you?!”

The curly-haired man on the stoop glared daggers at Thorin and put his hands on his hips.  “I’m the owner of this cottage!”

 

 


	4. Chapter 4

* * *

 

 

Thorin was not backing down.  Regardless of how ‘cute’ this Mister Baggins, or adorable his little nephew, Frodo, were, Thorin was absolutely not backing down!

“But I told you I was coming down this weekend!”  Bilbo said tersely into the phone.

“I beg to differ,” Gandalf said on the other end.  He wasn’t shouting, but the phone was old enough that it allowed Thorin to hear.

Bilbo huffed.  “I said—”

“You said you were _considering_ coming down Halloween week.”

“Exactly!”

“Considering and confirmation are _not_ the same things!”

Bilbo ran a hand through his hair.  “Yes, I know that … but—”

“But what?  I was to _assume_ and therefore just _know_ what you were planning?”

Bilbo sighed.  “No.  Of course not.”

“When nice Mister Durin called—”

Bilbo gave ‘nice Mister Durin’ a pointed look, which was returned with a pointed glare from the man.

“—I had no reason to think that Bag End was not available for rental.”

“Exactly,” Thorin said firmly, earning him another pointed look from Bilbo.

“But, Gandalf …” Bilbo was nearing his end.  “Surely there is another place for him to rent around here!”

“Several,” Gandalf said, “But none available.”

“What about Lobelia?!”  His ‘dear’ cousin had a little detached annexe, a ‘granny suite’, that had been built exactly for her granny, and then had been used by Lobelia’s mother, and now rented out for ‘pocket money.’  It was revoltingly twee, with chintz covering everything that would stand still, but it was clean and close to the village.  “She never uses it past mid-October?!”

“It’s closed.”

“Closed?!”

“Yes, she’s having it redecorated.”

“Lobelia?!  Spending money on something other than horribly clashing clothes for herself?!”

“As surprising as it sounds,” Gandalf dryly.  “She is having her sister-in-law and family coming for the Christmas Holidays—”

“That’s months away!”

“And she wants the cottage to be freshened up.  She’s actually had it closed since the beginning of September.  Which you’d know of … if you came down here.”

Bilbo looked very uncomfortable and red-faced.  “So you’re telling me—”

“There is nothing available, so you and Mister Durin will have to work it out together.”

“You mean we’re on my own.”

“See?”  Gandalf said cheerfully.  “You got there in the end.  Besides … he’s a very nice man Bilbo.  You might actually find you like him.”

“What does that mean?”  Thorin asked, confused. 

“Nothing,” Bilbo snapped at Thorin then rolled his eyes; he knew exactly what Gandalf meant and he was not in the least bit amused.  Bilbo hissed into the phone, “I don’t know why I employ you as rental agent.”

“Because I’m the best,” Gandalf said without irony.  “And the only one to put up with all you … ‘Hobbits.’”  With that he rang off and Bilbo was left with nothing but a dial tone.

Bilbo slammed the phone received down and huffed again.

“What’s a _Hobbit_?!”  Fili asked.

Bilbo had no desire to talk about ridiculous nick-names at the moment, but despite his anger over the situation, he refused to take it out on a young boy.  However, before he could answer, the boy’s uncle beat Bilbo to it.

“Given that the village is named Hobbiton,” Thorin said evenly, “I will bet you that's Mister Grey’s name for the inhabitants.”

“Precisely,” Bilbo said a nod.  With a deep breath in, he turned to ‘nice Mister Durin.’  “Now, Mister—”

“I’m not leaving,” Thorin said flatly.

Bilbo willed himself calm.  “Look.  This is my cottage—”

“Which I have a contract for,” Thorin pointed out.

“Whatever you paid—”

“I don’t want money.”

“I’ll gladly refund your full amount.”

“No.”

“Fine.  I’ll refund you double.”

“No.”

“Uncle!” Fili declared.  “You’re turning down double?!”

“This is a matter of principle!”

“Oh, really?” Bilbo said with a hallow laugh.  “Maybe I should just call the police!”

Thorin laughed as well.  “And charge me with _what_?!”

“Trespassing!”

“Not with a signed, legally binding contract!”  Thorin pulled a fold piece of paper from his back pocket and held it up for Bilbo to see.

Both men puffed up, ready to fight, but a small voice stopped them.

“Uncle Bilbo,” Frodo asked.  “What’s a contract?”

Bilbo wanted to say ‘not now’ or ‘later’, but Prim and Drogo had always believed in answering their young son’s questions with honest, open answers, and not treating him like an inconvenient accessory to their lives.  And Bilbo believed the same.  It was just that Frodo sometimes had terrible timing. 

With a breath and small smile, Bilbo looked down a Frodo and said, “A contract is an agreement between two people.”

Frodo thought for a second and then nodded.  “So … it’s like a promise.”

“Yes.”

“But, Uncle Bilbo,” Frodo turned very serious.  “You always say we should never break our promises.”

 _Dear Lord, please give me strength._   Bilbo had no need to look at Mister Durin to know he was smirking at him.  Leave it to his precious, precocious nephew to use Bilbo’s own words against him.

“That is right, young man,” Thorin said.

“But, Uncle Thorin,” Kili said.  “Aren’t you always saying that compromising is more mature than fighting?”

Thorin nearly choked.  “That’s true, but—”

“Then …” Fili cut in.  “You can’t hold your intransigence as a virtue.”

“Yes, but—” Thorin did a double take.  “What the … _where the hell_ did learn those words?!”

Fili shrugged, smugly.  “I am almost thirteen, you know.”

“There are plenty of rooms,” Kili added.

“Uncle Bilbo,” Frodo said, “You can’t break your promise!”

Bilbo sighed.  “Sweetpea, we came here to … to be by ourselves.”

“So did we,” Thorin stated.

“So why can’t we still have that?” Kili said.  “We can stay on our side of the house and they can stay on the other.”

“Kili’s right.” Fili agreed for once with his brother.  “We have three bedrooms and two bathrooms on the side we’re already on and there are three bedrooms and baths on the other side.”

“Plus we can use the back hallway and door if we need to,” Frodo added shrugging; he didn’t see the problem

None of the boys saw the problem.

“Maybe they won’t want to stay without power,” Bilbo added.

“We’ve made it this far,” Thorin countered.

Bilbo and Thorin continued to stare at each other.  Glare really, but neither wore any exact expression, clearly not wanting to show their emotions nor give in.  However, it was becoming painfully clear to both, that they had little choice.  Whatever they had hoped for or wanted out of their respected trips, sharing was going to have to be added to the list.

“Fine,” Bilbo said.

“Whatever,” Thorin agreed.

“Besides,” Kili said, giving the other end of the house a pointed look.  “Maybe the ghost will stick over there with them."

“Ghost?”  Frodo was very curious.

But Thorin shut that down.  “There is no ghost!  Stop trying to scare Frodo!”

“I’m not!” Kili swore.

“I’m not scared,” Frodo said calmly.  He wasn’t.

“What does he mean, ghost?!”  Bilbo demanded.

“Nothing,” Thorin said.  “We’ve had some odd happenings but nothing that can’t be explained.”

“Except the man behind me in the mirror,” Kili said.

“Or me being dumped out of perfectly good chair,” Fili said.

“Or things going missing,” Kili stated.

“Candlelight on the wall behind you,” Thorin said to Kili, then turned to Fili.  “You sitting in the chair inappropriately.” And then back to Kili.  “And you misplace things all the time.”

“What about your keys,” Fili said quietly.  “And your money clip?”

“I found them didn’t I?”

Both boys looked dubious but didn’t say more.

“I’m going to get our luggage,” Bilbo said.  “Frodo, sweetie, stay here.  I’ll be right back.”

“Okay,” Frodo said as he turned and headed off to their bedrooms.

The other three occupants went to their rooms but Frodo was on a mission.  He could almost feel what he was looking for and, sure enough, he found them in the back room.  Both of them.  He almost giggled because he didn’t know it was possible to startle ghosts!

 

 

 


End file.
